Buckle



Ma\y7,1929r Qasmnmn 1,712,096

BUCKLE- Filed Jan. 9, 1928 ff *5f lz) Il 2:5: 1 l 12:

f5 l im fij% Patented May 7, 1929.

narran STATES ozRo G. SHERMAN, on CHICAGO, iLLinois, l

BUCKLE.

Application filed January 9, 1928. Serial No. 245,308.

The present invention relates to fastening devices or clasps, and more particularly to an improved buckle, including a bail or keeper for securing and retaining the free or r, ctaclialfilc end` of the strap or other ip of material with which the buckle is associated.

in obje-ct oit my invention to provide an improved. buckle including a resiliently urged keeper' ttor the liree end et the strap connected to the buckle without rendering the buckle cumbersome or so increasing the cost oit its manufacture as to make the same proliibitive. y

Another object ol the invention resides in the provision el' an improved buckle including a resiliently urged keeper for the lree end el the strap with which the buckle is associated, adapted to be flexed past a given dead center into and out oli' cooperationy with the free end ol the strap. f

Still. another object of the invention is to provide an improved buckle including a irev siliently urged bail having' a lint surface adapted to embrace the end of the strap connected to the buckle. when the buckle is in a closed or el'lective position, and also lproviding a substantial linger grip and suliieient clearance whereby it may be moved into engagement with the tree end ot the strap.

A -further object ol""my invention has to do with the provision oli a buckle having a re-4 siliently mounted keeper or bail connected to the buckle trame adjacent the cross bar for the tongueand adapted to be llexed past a predetermined dead center line into and out oit operative association with the lree end of the strap which it is designed to engage.

A still `further objectot my invention-is to provide an improved fastening device adapted to be operated. substantially in the mannery in which a buckle is manipulated and without requiring any explanation or special movements, and which can be readily unl'astened with a single movement and by which the opera ting partsmay be placed in holding position without the necessity oli threading the tree end ot the strap thru a corresponding loop or bail. v

A `Further important object of my invention is the provision of a buckle, including a tongue and a keeper adapted to embrace the tree end oli the material connected to the buckle :trame and adapted tobe l'lexedwith facility and without the necessity olf exert ing any considerable pressure thereon into and out of open and closed position, the keeper being designed for automatic movement into either closed or open positions once it is past a predetermined dead center line.

ln accordance withthe general features of the present invention, I provide abuckle comprising a rectangular lrame, including a cross bar serving as a pivotal mounting lor the tongue and a cross bar having associated therewith a resilient connection for abail or keeper adapted to be `flexed past a predetermined dead center line, disposed adjacent the cross bar for the tongue, into and out of opA erative association with the end of the strap or other strip ol material engaged by the tongue, the keeper serving to ytake the place ol a corresponding` loop :for the tree end of the strap and being provided with linger gripping means whereby a single manipulation permits of the strap being disengaged by the tongue, as well to move said keeper past the dead center line into its inel'l'ective or inoperative position.

Other objects and advantages ot my invention will more 'fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments thereof and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the buckle as being applied to the ends of a strap and showingtlie buckle with the keeper or bail in engagement with the 'free end of the strap;

Figure 2 is a fragmentarysectional view taken on the line Il II ol Figure l, looking in the direction indicatedr by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewv similar to-Figure 2, showing the tongue out ol i engagement with the 'tree end of the strap and illustrating the keeper in its inellective or inoperative position Figure l is a fragmentary sectional `view taken on substantially the line IV-IV ot Figure 2 looking downwardly;

Figure 5 is an enlarged 'fragmentary sec-` tional. view showing a modifiedr 'form olf buckle construction and illustrating the tongue in a position similar to that of the tongue shown in Figure 3; and

ioo

i Fi gure is a fragmentary plan viewr` partt ly in section, taken on-the line VI-VI of Figure 5 looking downwardly. v

1n the drawings:

Like reierence characters designate siniilar parts throughout the several views,

The reference character 10 designates generally the rectangular 'traine ot a buckle einbodying the teatu es of my invention. Secured to one end of this traine is an end of strap 11 the free end 12 ott which is adapted to engage the other end ot the traine when it is secured in place by the tongue 13 of the buckle,y as shown in Figure 1.

The tongue 13 is pivotally mounted upon a cross rod or bar 141-, the ends of which are secured to the il'raine 10 best shown in Figure 1-. Surrounding the rod 14; on each side of the tongue is a pair oi sleeves 15 and 1G. Disposed between the sleeve 15 and the tongue 13, and surrounding rod 111., is a spring 17, one end oi" which is secured to the rod 14 and the other' end ot which is secured to the base ot' the tongue 13. This spring is adapted to at all times urge the tongue 13 to the position in which it is shown in Figure 3.

Also secured to the traine 10 and disposed parallel to the rod 14 is a. cross bar 18, upon which is mount-ed a spring 20, including letthand and rightha-nd sections 21 and 22. The outer ends ol these spring sections 21 and 22 are suitably anchored to the bar 13. The adjacent or inner ends oic these two sections are connected as indicated at 23, and are adapted to engage the top surface olf a downwardly extending' leg 24 ot a transverse. cap member 25, disposed parallel to the bars 14C` and 1S. lt will be noted that the leg 24 is bent downwardly and back over the main portion o1 the cap 25 (Figs. 2 and The ends of the cap meinber 25' are provided with downwardly extending ears 2G and 27, which are piv' otally mounted on the bar 1S.

Attention is directed to the tact that the two sleeves 15 and 16 on bai' 111 are covered by the sleeve-like or spaced turned portions 23 and 29 ol the cover plate 30, which has its other end bent, as indicated at 31, up around the springs on bar 18 and in under the cap member 25 (Fig. Thus, it will be evident that the spaced turned portions 28 and 29 are termed integral with the cover plato 30 and are adapted to encircle the sleeves 15 and 16 and the spring 17 on the bar 11i; on both sides ot tongue 13. Attention is also direct-ed to the tact that the turned end 31 oi this cover plate 30 is provided with spaced ears 32 and 33, which are mounted on bar 18. i

Pivotally connected to the bar 14 is a bail or keeper designated generally by the refer`4 ence character 35. This bail includes a pair of spaced arms 3G and 37, the tree ends of which are pivotally mounted upon bar 14. The outer ends of these two arms 36 and 37 are connected together by a transverse plate 3S, adapted, when in the position shown in Figure 2, to engage the free end 12 of the strap. lt will be noted troni Figure 2 that the ends ot the arn'is 36 and 37 are curved outwardly, so as to raise the plate a slight distance above the traine and the strap connect-cd thereto, thus providing clearance between the plate and the. traine and strap in which the tree end 12 ot the strap is adapted to be disposed. Also, attention is directed to the Alact that in the operation et the buckle, as will becoiii-e more apparent with the progress oit the present description, the arms 36 and 37 ot keepei serve as linger grips by ineans ot' which the opening and closing ot the buckle can be effected. Then, too, the slant et plate 38, when the keeper is in the open position shown in Figure 3, ali'ords clearance between it and strap 11 whereby ones linger can readily .engage saine to dip keeper to its closed position.

In Figure 3, it will be noted that the cap portion 25 has formed integral with it sock ets Ll0, one on cach side ot the downwardly extending leg` 241. These sockets l() are adapted to receive the. transverse pin 411, which has its ends bent toward the bar and into openings in the arms 3G and 37. This pin 41, together with its bent arms 12, forms a crank 'connection between the cap port-ion 25 and the ieeper or bail The operation ot my novel buckle is briefly as follows: lt will be evident that the open position 0ic the keeper or bail 35 is that in which it is shown in Figure 3. The free end 12 of the strap 11, to be engaged by thc tongue 13, is inserted up thru the buckle frame 10 and over the edge olf the top plate 33 ot the keeper 35 into the position shown in Figure 3. The free end 12 of the strap 11 is.

then pulled until the strap is drawn tightly around the object which it encircles. This will dispose a hole Ll-.G inthe strap in a position in which it is ready to receive the end otr the tongue 13, which, as previously described, is at all times urged into the position in which it is shown in Fioure 3 thru the ineans el spring 17. 1 1

Thereafter thetongue 13 is pushed downwardly to bring its end into cooperation with the hole 16. Then this has been accomplished, the person manipulating the buckle places the lingers of his otherhand on the linger grips atlorded by arms 3G and 37 oit the keeper 35 and moves the keeper upwarilly about the axis'o'l bar 1-1 to a position past the dead center line ot the crank connection, at Iwhich time the spring 20 becomes ellective to automatically inove it into the engaged or closed position shown in Figure 2. ln other words, the applicant has utilized the inovenient of flexing the tree end of the strap over the buckle to move a keeper or bail into position over the free end ot the strap.

The toggle or crank connection afforded by the crank 42`and the cup inein'ber between the keeper and the bar 18 enables the soriiig 20 to become eiiective to move the keeper into either of its extreme positions, once the keep er has been moved past th-e dead center line of the toggle or crank connection.

Then it is desired to disengage the free end 12 of the strap from the buckle, saine may be accomplished by moving` this end of the strap to the position'shoivn in Figure', which releases the tongue 13 and allows the spring 17 to become effective to move the tongue to its disengaged position. lt will, it' course, be obvious that the return movement of the tongue 13 is limited by the tongue coming into engagement with the edge of the cap plate 25, which serves as a stop. Attention is also directed to the tact that,once the keeper has been moved past the previously mentioned dead center line, the spring 2t), thru its portion 23, engaging the leg 2t oi? cap 25, operates toy force crank l2 downivardly, whereby the keeper is also moved downwardly under the e'fl'ect of thespring 20. rl`hcrea't`ter, the free end 12 of the strap may be Withdrawn from the buckle frame.

In Figures 5 and 6 have illustrated an alternative form of my invention, wherein the spring means for actuating the tongue 13 is mounted upon thebar 18 instead o1" on the bar 14;. Outside of this feature, the buckle construction is substantially identical to that disclosed in Figures l, 2, 3 and L It' is, therefore, thought that a con'iprehensive understandingY of this modiiication ot the invention may be obtained by a description oit the modified form of spring construction for the tongue 13.

rlhe cross bar 1S connected to frame 1 0 has mounted upon it the spring 20, including a pair of spaced sections which are slightlj,7

smaller in length than the sections 21r andA The adJacent ends or` 22 shown in Figure et. these sections are connected as indicated at 23. This l'iortion 23 of the spring 20 is adapted to engage the top surface of a downwardly extending leg 24 of cap member 25. Mounted vupon the bar 18,vbetvveen the spaced sections oi the spring 2G, is a spring 50, including spaced lett-hand and right-hand sections 51. and 52.; The adjacent ends oi these tivo spring sections are connected by a portion designa-ted by thereiierence character 53, which extends into a recess 5st in the base oiI the tongue 13. The outermost ends of the spring sections 51 and 52 are bent laterally and are adapted to` engage a plate 55, as indicated at 5G in Figures 5 and G. rlhis plate includes a pair oit spaced arms 57 and 58, which are bent into circular portions mounted upon the turned portions 28l and 29 ot the bottom cover plate 30. The remainT in g structure ot this .buckle is identicalto that oit the buckle shown in Figures 1 to 4L and hence, it is thought thatno further descripnr tion need be made of the details of this buckle.

It will be evident that the connecting porci thematerial, said keeper being tion 53 secured to the adjacent ends of the spring sections 51 and 52 will tend to at all times move the tongue in a clockwise direction aboutthe axis of bar 1i (Fig. This means ythat each time the tongue 13 is rcleased from engagement with the strap, it will innnediately be moved to the uppermost or vvertical position shown in Figure 5, dueto the dissipation of the stored spring ener 'I Noiv, I desire it understood that, altho I have illustrated andidescribed in detail the i'neierredformsoi my invention, the invention is not to be thus limited only in so tar pendcd claims.

l claim as my invention: f

1. As an article ot manufacture, a buckle comprising a iframe, a tongue pivotalli, connccted to `the iframe for enga ing the itree end oi? 'the material associated with said traine, a keeper pivotally connected to the as deiined bv the scope and spirit ott the api'ramc arranged to engage said free end oi" said material which is connected to the traine,

and means associa-'ted with said traine tor' d keeper to engaged and dis sn a pp in g engaged. i

itionsfrelative to the free end movable with said ifree end oi the. materia-l over the top ot the bnc .e iraine into position wherein it engages the top surface of said end of the material. n

2. an article oit manufacture, a buckle coi'nprising a frame, a tongue pivotally cony nected to the frame 'for eiigagingthe free end of the material associa Aed 'with saidy iframe, a keeper arranged to iit over and engage said free end of said material associated with the buckle, a toggle connection for said keeper connecte/d to said frame, and means including a resi lient men'iber associated with ksaid toggle connection 'for jforcing said keeper into a given posi-tiomonce it moved past a predetermined dead center iine associated with the toggle connection.

3. As an article oit nianufactiire, al buckle comprising a frame, a tongue pivotally connected to the frame for engaging a tree end oit the strap associated with saidvframe, a, l keeper connected to the fraineand arranged to lit over and engage said free end of said strap connected to said buckle trame, a togglo connection between said keeper and said iframe, and means including a resilient meinber acting on said keeper thru said connection to force said keeper into engaged and disengaged positions relativeto the strap.

' li. As an article of manufacture, a buckle comprising a iframe, a tongue pivot-ally connected to the/frame ior engaging a free end of the material associated with said frame, a keeper for said 'freeend of said material connected tothe buckle traine, meansincluding a resilient member to `urge said keeper into engagement with the top surface of said end of the material, and means connected to said tongue for forcing said tongue into its disengaged position, said means becoming citeetive only when said keeper is moved to a position wherein said end ot the material is to be removed from the buckle frame.

5. As an article of manufacture, a buckle comprising a frame, a tongue pivotally connected to the frame for engaging a free end oil the material associated With said frame, a keeper ior said tree end of said material associated with the buckle trame in such a manner as to be arranged tor automatic move-ment into closed and open positions once it is moved past a predetermined dead center line, and means including a resilient member for eliecting said automatic movement ot the keeper.

G. As an article of manufacture, a buckle comprisingl a iframe, a tongue pivotally connected to the 'frame tor engaging a free end of the material associated With the buckle trame,a keeper for said tree end of said material arranged for automatic movement into closed and open positions once it is moved past a predetermined dead center line, and means `for eifecting said automatic movement of the keeper including a resilient member, a cross bar connected to said frame to which said resilient member is connected, and leverage means associated With said bar thru Which said resilient member acts on said keeper.

7. As an article of manufacture, a. buckle' comprising a frame, a tongue pivotally connected to the frame for engaging a free end ot tlie material associated with said buckle trame, a keeper t'or said tree end of said material arranged for automatic movement into closed and open positions once it is moved past a predetermined dead center line, means including a resilientdevice 'for effecting said autoniatic movement of the keeper, a cross bar for said resilient means connected to said frame., and means associated with said tongue and for at all times urging said tongue toward its disengaged position.

8. As an article of manufacture, a buckle comprising a frame, a tongue connected to the 'frame 4for engaging a free end of a strip of material, a. keeper connected to said iframe formed to bold said tree end of tbe strip in cooperation with the vtrame, and means connecting said keeper to said frame for snapping it past a predetermined dead center line into engaged and disengaged positions with respect to said ifree end ot the strip.

9. As an article of manufacture, a buckle comprising a frame, a tongue connected to the traine for engaging a tree end of a` strip ot material., a keeper connected to said frame formed to hold said tree end oi the strip in cooperation with the frame, and means connecting said keeper to said frame for snapping it past a predetermined dead center line into engaged and disengaged positions With respect to said tree end of the strip, said keeper being designed so that when it is in a disengaged position said free end of the strip may be drawn over the same to permit of the disengagement of the tongue from said strip.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Cbicago,Gook County, Illinois.r

OZRO Gr. SHERMAN. 

